The Trotting Dead

Audio Log

5-15-23

3:26PM

Found this in some storage boxes some time ago, never thought I’d use it, until now. There’s some strange sickness going around, the princesses say there’s nothing to worry about with it, but somehow I’m not so sure.

My friend, his name is Raven, recently had a small heart attack, likely due to the enormous amount of stress stemming from his work. Hopefully he’ll wake up soon, he’ll know better than anypony what’s really going on. He’s always enjoyed his logical reasoning and examination, after all.

Until next time, this is -REDACTED- signing out.

Audio Log

5-16-23

4:13PM

Guards have been posted within Ponyville, for some reason. We’re being informed it’s due to some threat that’s been made, what threat we have no idea, though myself and some others are speculating it’s due to the sickness mentioned previously. All communications in and out of the town are being filtered through them as well, so we don’t know if our mail is going through, or if we’re getting all the mail we should be. The ponies are understandably growing a bit unnerved by how quick this came about, but we’re keeping hope it’ll pass over quick.

Raven, he’s still in the hospital, he isn’t waking up, but at the very least he appears stable. Doctors say there might’ve been more to it than a measly heart attack, but that they can’t get much testing done at this time, due to the sickness. When I asked about it, no doctor but this one young stallion said anything about it. He said that ponies are changing. When I asked for more information, one of his superiors called out his name, so he had to go. Something’s definitely going on, that’s for sure.

Until tomorrow, -REDACTED-.

Audio Log

5-17-23

1:00PM

I don’t have much time to talk today, guards are everywhere, testing ponies, and some being beaten down, or taken away, either out of resistance or through being tested positive for an illness. I don’t know what they’re looking for, but me and others are growing pretty restless. I suspect only a few more days until something bad does come, if this keeps up. I see a guard coming towards this area!

-Static-

“You there, I demand you come to me, and stand in front of me!”

“I’m coming, relax, what’s going o-”

-Some muffled noises-

“Negative. Move along, citizen.”

-Static-

That was..off, to say the least. Even the guard looked uneasy, and he’s the one with the weapon on hoof! I better end this here, for now.

This is -REDACTED-, signing out.

Audio Log

5-18-23

9:15PM

The guards, they were gone by the morning of today. One of ponyville’s technologically-adept ponies set up a radio, like the ones they have in the more developed cities, and found an Emergency Broadcast channel. They were reporting that the ongoing sickness has turned many ponies violent, and has led to a decay of skin. They also stated they’ve lost any contact with Manehatten, and it’s been determined it’s probable it’s no longer standing. The broadcast was cut short by an unnerving growl..or snarl..it was hard to tell, as gunshots then sounded as well, before finally there was no more.

Many ponies and their families started freaking out, a lot of them crying, or shouting, causing a massive uproar. My fellows and I spoke to them, and explained that we need to gather some resources, and try to prepare ourselves, attempt to protect the town for as long as we could. It took a fair bit of time..but eventually most calmed down enough to agree, and the crowd dispersed. I don’t know where to go from here, but all I do now is try to prepare everypony, for whatever horrors are coming.

Visiting the hospital, I saw that there were still staff there, tending to the patients, which is truly admirable, I must say. I visited Raven, still out. Apparently he’s in a comatose-like state, for how long they don’t know, and that they think it’ll be too long before he awakes. I wrote a note to him, just in-case things go south before he recovers. I just hope he wakes up..

-REDACTED-, signing out once more.

Audio Log

5-19-23

8:00PM

Hours of preparing and training, and we’ve managed to secure the town, for now. It’s not too strong, but hopefully it’s enough for the current situation. We don’t how big the threat truly is, but we had scouts look beyond the town limits for a ways, trying to figure out the current situation. According to the scouts, these things might be coming sooner rather than later. We have a nightwatch set-up, so hopefully we can rest easy for the night, at the very least.

These ponies though..they aren’t good with guns, or any sort of hoof-held weaponry. If this place goes under, then not many will survive. I won’t be able to do these daily once tomorrow hits, I’ll need to stay focused, but I will if something pressing happens.

Until the next, -REDACTED-

Audio Log

5-21-23

10:28PM

My latest Audio Log yet...late for a reason though. These creatures, we’ve started calling them trotters, have been pushing forward on the town. We theorize they might’ve migrated to here from Manehatten, though we’re uncertain. We’ve been losing ponies due to rookie error, which is a sad fate to see.

Something strange though..every time the ponies die..they come back as trotters. Shooting them in the head appears to stop this though, so perhaps the sickness is due to something with the brain? I’m no doctor, nor scientist, but that appears to be the most likely set of circumstances.

In the hospital, many patients started dying as they lost the material to keep them alive. Luckily, Raven has survived, and the remaining supplies that aren’t being stockpiled are going to him. It’s running out though..Raven, please..wake up..wake up..

-REDACTED-, out once more..

Audio Log

5-23-23

9:00AM

-Immense static, within the breaks are some words-

They...taken...over.....if....find this..Raven..run....have to....leave this....go..Applel-...

-Tape Ends-